A Week of Sturgis Motorcycle Ride Maps: Day 6

It’s time. Get your camping, hotel, and bike rentals in place. Sturgis 2021 is almost here (August 6-15) and the whole area is already getting ready for more than 500,000 bikes to descend on one of the most beautiful ride areas in the country. Post-COVID re-openings will probably be the largest rally in the last 10 years. Make sure to check out our entire series, "A Week of Sturgis Motorcycle Ride Maps," to discover five more rides that will help you get the most out of your rally experience.

Riding the Sturgis Area in One Week (Series)

Most of the Sturgis riders who arrive stay four to six days in the Black Hills. If you're one of the fortunate ones who can squeeze in the extra two days – you have time to get in all 14 popular rally rides I have outlined in these six blogs.

Today we will visit the amazing Badlands. But be sure to check back on the past five blogs for visits to Custer State Park, Deadwood, Needles Highway and more! It is important to point out that there is so much to do in the Black Hills, the Sturgis Rally is a 10-day event. This is so you have time to ride, attend events, and explore. Be prepared to wear yourself out.

Motorcycle Ride Map

Badlands National Park

Approximately 2.5 hours, 136 miles one way

This is a smooth route. Some of it might be on Interstate 90 if you make the return trip to Sturgis. The speed limit in this area is about 85mph, so if you like it slow and scenic, you may want to make your return route back along 44 again.

Rapid City

I haven’t touched on Rapid City, although you have crossed through here a couple of times on our previous routes. This is your larger city in the area, so this also makes it a great gas and snack stop spot.

If you are a winery or brewery fan, there are several places you can veer off to the southwest of Rapid City onto highway 385 to enjoy a glass of wine or a brew. The photo above is the Prairie Berry Winery. I was not big on their wines, but they have a full special-order deli and awesome views from their patio.

If you have a sweet tooth, you can also stop in at Candyland. This is where I stopped and bought almost four-pounds of candy, which we all know adds forty pounds when you are done eating it.

Scenic, South Dakota

Scenic, South Dakota is a ghost town. There is nothing open here, but there is a display of a unique set of buildings. One is a jail cell where you can take your infamous photos. Skulls line the roof of another building which for some motorcyclists is your motif. Although there is no food or gas in Scenic, it makes for a nice place to stop and take a break and there is even a little shade with the empty town shacks lining the east and west sides of the street. Even during a slow week, there were several other bikers there enjoying the past.

Again, it can be a little warmer here than in Sturgis so keep that in mind when planning your ride day.

Interior, South Dakota

There is almost nothing in Interior, South Dakota, but a it's got a little more action than in Scenic. Two watering holes might be open when you ride through: either the Wagon Wheel or the Horseshoe Bars. Those both carry food, but I did not stop in to eat so I don't have a recommendation either way. If you have been to one of them, I would love your feedback.

There is also a little gas station I did stop at. You do not have a lot of selections available for gas on the way to the Badlands National Park on the backroads after you cross through Rapid City, so this is a nice watering hole for your bike as well. Then off to the highlight of the day.

Badlands National Park

The first thing to point out is that the Badlands will be about 10-degrees hotter (at least) than the rest of the areas you have been riding over, through, and around in the Black Hills. Select the coolest day possible for riding during the Sturgis Rally because it can -- and will -- get over 100 degrees. And while you are riding through the park, you will be going very slow with traffic and stopping a lot. In the Badlands that also usually means no breeze. This may not be a ride you want to do when the temp is over 100-degrees.

The views suspend you between cloudless skies, peaks with colorful layers, and washed out, deep caverns and ravines. The landscape is like nothing you have experienced anywhere else in South Dakota. You will probably encounter ram or two as they wander around the desert area as well as eagles floating above the very pointed ragged peaks. There are so many areas to pull over and get photos with your bike, and you will probably want to take advantage of all of them.

Wall, South Dakota

You may want to do one last stop on the way back to camp just to cool off in Wall, South Dakota. The town's infamous Wall Drug is overly touristy, but it still makes for an interesting, well-timed stop. It's interesting since they have been around since 1931, and well-timed because you can still quench your thirst by actually getting a five-cent cup of coffee and a small cup of free ice water. The food served up is tourist price and flavor so you might want to skip that part of the experience. They do have a giant "jackalope" if you're in the mood for climbing into the saddle for a photo op.

There are also some interesting little shops in town and if you are a Harley fiend, this is where you will find the Badlands Harley store with all the appropriate Badlands memorabilia.

Thanks for taking this journey with me. I hope I have given you some improved riding ideas for the Sturgis Rally days and beyond. If we cross paths, let me know you read about the rides here and what you thought of the adventures. Ride new roads.